diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 75ea4983d..86aa14b0b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,4 +10,10 @@ the [`docs/`](docs) directory.
 
 For developer setup instructions, refer to [INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md).
 
+## Git Workflow
+
+PRs to this repository should target the `develop` branch, rather than `master`.
+When a PR is merged to `develop`, a version update and release happens
+automatically in CI.
+
 [K]: https://github.com/runtimeverification/k
diff --git a/package/version.sh b/package/version.sh
index 717fcfc04..40ddabdd0 100755
--- a/package/version.sh
+++ b/package/version.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ version_file="package/version"
 
 version_bump() {
     local version release_commit version_major version_minor version_patch new_version current_version current_version_major current_version_minor current_version_patch
-    version="$1" ; shift
+    version="$(cat ${version_file})" ; shift
     version_major="$(echo ${version} | cut --delimiter '.' --field 1)"
     version_minor="$(echo ${version} | cut --delimiter '.' --field 2)"
     version_patch="$(echo ${version} | cut --delimiter '.' --field 3)"